Carmelo Anthony wants Kristaps Porzingis to become new face of Knicks

Carmelo Anthony believes he has several more years of playing at a high level, but he also sees his NBA mortality with the arrival and emergence of rookie Kristaps Porzingis.

The Knicks have been Anthony's team since 2011. Porzingis is the future face of the franchise, and the future is coming quickly. Anthony realizes it, and he knows how important it is for them to build chemistry and grow together so he leaves the franchise in good hands.

"I want to embrace it," Anthony told Newsday. "I know what's going to happen when I'm out of here. It's his. If he continues to do what he has to do and continues to play the way everybody knows he can play and gets better and evolves, it's his for the taking."

Anthony, 31, is slowly changing the narrative that he's all about Anthony.

The eight-time All-Star has been putting more trust in his teammates than maybe ever in his career. He said it's because he's "at peace" more than ever. But he knows he has skeptics and non-believers who still call him selfish.

"It bothers me," he said, "but the guys around me every day I don't think will ever say that."

Anthony, who has three years left on his deal, had the longest offseason of his life after undergoing left knee surgery in February. It gave him plenty of time to ponder his life, career, legacy and role with the Knicks. He concluded that he had to change some things.

"It started with me this offseason," Anthony said. "Just being at peace with myself and the team and the situation and the organization and taking as it comes. I think once I found that peace, everything else falls into place.''

Over the summer, after all the reports about Anthony being unhappy with the Knicks' moves, he told his teammates he wanted them in Puerto Rico for his annual softball game to work out and scrimmage. He's been doing it the last few years, but this time it attracted the most players.

"I usually tell a couple guys, 'Come down if you ain't doing nothing,' " Anthony said. "This year I wanted to make it more like, 'We're doing it.' "

Back in New York, Anthony invited Porzingis to train with him at his gym, Terminal 23. Anthony wanted to help the Latvian big man, but he also knew it would help himself in the long run.

"I knew that situation," Anthony said. "A guy like him fresh out of nowhere coming to New York, don't really have nobody to talk to, don't really have nobody to be able to try and figure everything out that comes with playing basketball in New York and being an athlete in New York, I just saw somebody I can embrace. I just wanted him to feel comfortable and confident."

The Knicks are off to a better start than anyone expected, and Porzingis' play has been a big reason. But Anthony's willingness to share not just the spotlight but the ball can't be overlooked or understated.

Anthony scoffs at the perception that he doesn't want to share attention and shots with Porzingis. That's another narrative he's hoping to change because Anthony, who has gotten past the first round of the playoffs twice in his career, welcomes all the help he can get.

"Absolutely," he said. "If you look back at my career, my best years I've had supporting systems around me, other guys who can make plays for themselves and for everybody. I embrace the help. I always wanted the help."

Porzingis is providing some of the help Anthony needs. But Anthony has been helping Porzingis more, and helping pave the way for the Knicks to be Porzingis' team.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.